Cote St. Luc Dramatic Society reaches new heights with "Catch Me If You Can"

Although in existence for three years -- and personally catching many of their productions since 2012 -- the Cote St. Luc Dramatic Society has raised the bar to new heights with their latest production "Catch Me If You Can: The Musical".

Based on the hit movie directed by Steven Spielberg that starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, and originally staged at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on Broadway, the show tells the true story of Frank Abagnale, Jr., a Rochelle, New York teenager who during the mid 1960s became a master of deception and quite a master forger, too, in which he managed to steal nearly $2 million by the time he was 20.

The story starts during Christmas of 1964, when young Frank is given a gift of a chequing account by his dad, which included a book of 50 blank cheques. When Frank finds out that his father is undergoing an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service and is close to losing his business, he decides to strike out on his own to help his father financially. That's when his blank chequebook comes in handy, which leads to a trail of deception, forgery and fraud that sees Frank become an airline pilot, doctor and lawyer, although he had no education nor experience that would warrant such career moves.

And on top of that, his multi-million dollar trail launches a nationwide manhunt by the FBI, which is led by a rather overzealous special agent named Carl Hanratty, who makes it his doggedly determined mission to stop Abagnale before he deceives again for profit.

This is by far the Cote St. Luc Dramatic Society's most ambitious, polished production in its very young history. Under the helm of its highly capable director Anisa Cameron, the show is briskly paced with an energetic cast and every aspect of it warrants it having qualities that are on the same level as a professional Broadway stage production. The costumes, music and cultural references accurately reflect the spirit of the Kennedy-Johnson era in America, and the narrative form and musical numbers, which never slows down throughout the show's two-hour running time, is reminiscent of those variety shows that dominated the TV airwaves throughout the 60s.

And of course, it is strongly anchored by the mesmerizing performances by its two lead actors. Brandon Schwartz exudes a lot of charisma and confidence in the role of Frank Abagnale, Jr., and his broad talents will certainly take him places if he decides to pursue an acting career in the future (and we get the privilege to say when saw him way back then); and veteran actor Mike Melino is terrific as FBI agent Carl Hanratty, who injects plenty of hilarious frustration, uptightness and bellicose nature into the role, as he leads a bumbling posse of agents in pursuit of Abagnale throughout the U.S.A. And special kudos go to Megan Magisano as Frank's fiancee Brenda, whose solo performance of the song "Fly, Fly Away" will quickly become a bona fide showstopper.

Based on the enthusiastic response from the opening night audience, "Catch Me If You Can" has the makings of a sold out run. As well, it boldly proves that English theatre is alive and well in Montreal, and that from here on in, the Cote St. Luc Dramatic Society is more than just an amateur theatre troupe ... they are quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in the Montreal theatre scene.

“Catch Me If You Can: The Musical” will play at the Harold Greenspon Auditorium in Cote St. Luc City Hall, located at 5801 Cavendish Boulevard, until June 22. Tickets for evening performances are $27 for adults, $24 for seniors and students, and $18 for matinees and preview shows. They can be purchased by going to www.csldramaticsociety.com, calling 514-485-6800, ext. 2024, or in person at the Cote St. Luc Public Library (5851 Cavendish Boulevard) or the Cote St. Luc Aquatic and Community Centre (5794 Parkhaven Avenue).